Call Center Scheduling Hints, Tips & Best Practices

Customers appreciate when their calls are received by the agents most qualified to handle them.

And this is certainly one of those instances where what is good for the customer is good for the contact center as well. Skill-based scheduling results in higher productivity, higher first call resolution and shorter call times. It plays to agents’ strengths and boosts their confidence.

Implementation of skill-based scheduling begins by establishing a clear tier system that ranks agents by skills based on call type. Ultimately, the goal is to have only agents that are capable of handling every type of customer call. Thus, performance remains consistent no matter how schedules may fluctuate.

Such scheduling based on specific skill sets is easily manageable with Workforce Management. Inclusion of skills is handled automatically by WFM, so it’s easier to fill each shift with fewer agents – those who have the requisite specialties to handle every customer encounter.

Now, try to achieve the same results with spreadsheets, when each of your agents has 3-5 different skills. How would you even begin to take all of them into account and run various scenarios? Even if it could be done, it would take many, many more hours that could be devoted to other challenges.

Based on a recent call center industry analysis, approximately 20% of call centers still use spreadsheets for forecasting and scheduling. Those that do are missing out on the convenience, efficiency and flexibility of workforce management, particularly when it comes to this vital function.

In the old days it was simpler – first call resolution (FCR) at the call center was a simple measurement of how often a customer’s issue was settled within one call. No standard definition was required.

Today it’s a little more complicated. If a caller is transferred from an agent to a technical support expert, that’s still one call but two separate conversations – does that still qualify? What if a call is made after an attempt to resolve the issue via web chat proves unsuccessful? That’s just one call as well, but it was also the customer’s second effort to achieve a goal.

While definitions might change, one thing is certain – FCR is the most highly correlated metric to customer satisfaction. A CFI Group study surveyed customers whose issues were not resolved in one call; it found that 43% said they would take their business elsewhere.

Keep These Customers with WFM

An automated workforce management (WFM) solution is one way to improve first call resolution and encourage customer loyalty.

With WFM it’s easier to implement a skills-based schedule so calls are answered by agents with the talent and experience to resolve them. It also allows managers and agents to use recorded calls to learn from mistakes and train new agents in proven company procedures.

These recordings can subsequently play a role in your quality monitoring efforts. Score each one based on specific criteria and overall success, and it’s easier to discover the best way to address different types of customer questions and concerns.

Finally, if you have a WFO system with speech analytics, you can use this resource to identify important recurring words and phrases, and how an agent should react when receiving a call that fits their criteria.

However you choose to define FCR, one fact is certain: the better prepared your agents can be for any eventuality, the more likely they will be able to end a call knowing they have just said goodbye to a satisfied customer.

This information should be delivered via reports. But if your system is not delivering the information you need, or is providing that data in a way that is difficult to decipher, it might be time to consider a new WFM solution. This is particularly important since the responsibility of WFM does not end with the production of an accurate schedule.

If you are ready to consider a new WFM system, be sure to ask about the reporting options that can make a positive difference at your contact center. These include:

•The Hours Worked Report: this report makes it easier to observe the breakdown and summary of assigned activities, balance multiple types of work, and handle other backlog issues

•The Agent Status Report: Compare this report with the Hours Worked Report for new insights into workload distribution and productivity

Many small and midsized contact centers still rely on spreadsheets for
daily forecasting and scheduling. It’s an imperfect system that could be
improved by workforce management (WFM) software.

However,
what’s surprising is that some larger contact centers, those with 100
agents or more, are also still using spreadsheets for scheduling. Here,
the inefficiencies of the system are multiplied, resulting in much lower
customer service (under-staffing) and higher costs (over-staffing) -
often both, based on the time of day.When an increase as low as 1% in productivity can significantly
impact the contact center budget, it is imperative to identify areas
where efficiency can be improved.

One of these areas is
flexibility – the limitations of a spreadsheet result in fixed schedules
that can produce higher shrinkage and overstaffing. But with WFM it is
easier to manage start times, end times and breaks with an ease of
flexibility that dramatically improves service levels.

Managers
can also consult more detailed and accurate call histories with WFM,
resulting in better forecasts. Scheduling is also faster – some managers
can save as much as 25% of the time once devoted to filling in
spreadsheets – that time can now be used for additional agent training
or to attend to other matters.

There are many additional
advantages as well, from reducing the number of agents needed for a
particular shift to improving agent morale by making it easier to match
employees with the hours and shifts they prefer.

After so many years, and so much attention paid, why are scheduling and
adherence still a challenge at so many contact centers? One reason,
perhaps, is that each of these objectives incorporates a number of
moving parts, and a wide range of variables that must be calculated in
advance. If these calculations are off, even by a little bit, it can
bring the whole plan crashing down.
Consider the contact center manager’s ongoing challenge: Scheduling
Inaccurate forecast? There goes the schedule. If a manager schedules 20
agents on a shift and call volume is higher than expected, average wait
time increases, other KPIs are impacted, and customer service suffers.
If call volume is lower, agents are at their desks with nothing to do.
The customers are happy, but accounting is not – no one likes to pay
agents when they aren’t doing anything.
Sudden call volume change? It can happen. Sometimes unforeseen
circumstances, even a change in the weather or a news story about a
company’s product, can spike calls.
Then there are exceptions, and agents who call in sick at the last
minute, and other KPI predictions that don’t pan out. Any one of these
can make scheduling a frustrating process. Adherence
Do your agents understand the impact of adherence? It was covered at
hiring and reinforced during training sessions, but even the best agents
sometimes forget. Are those that regularly fall out of adherence held
accountable? If not, they have no reason to change their behavior.
Having a system in place to track adherence would be helpful, but some contact centers have yet to make this investment. What’s the Solution?
Fortunately, one solution is available to address the wide array of
scheduling and adherence challenges: Workforce Management (WFM)
software. It’s the fastest and easiest way to track status, progress,
and real-time activity at a call center. Dashboards provide a visual
display of call center data, providing insight into every key WFM
process.

Forecasting
Both daily and long-term forecasts can be checked quickly through tables and charts on forecasting dashboards. Scheduling
Review past call volumes to create tomorrow’s schedule. Find out who’s in, who’s on break and who’s on vacation. Adherence
Adherence alerts on the call center dashboard identify instances where
scheduled activities vary from the current call center status. Metrics
Besides forecasting, scheduling and adherence, other key WFM metrics
that can be reviewed via dashboard include call answer times, first call
resolutions and transfer rates.
Of course, the wealth of information provided by WFM isn’t much good if
it is not presented in a way that is clear, concise, and accessible to
changes as needed. Choose a WFM system that allows for real-time changes
to be easily implemented, that shows summaries of all agent statuses,
including exceptions. If you can’t find the data you need quickly, look
for another system.
Learn More

The advantages to a call center of a flexible workforce cannot be
discounted. When agents have more say in the shifts they work and the
breaks they take, they are more likely to provide outstanding customer
service. They are also more likely to stay in their position, which
reduces employee turnover and the time and cost issues involved with
training new hires. In addition, the call center can also benefit from
staggering shifts and flexible start and end times. Flexibility is often
a win-win for all involved.
The challenge, however, is to reap the efficiency, service and cost
benefits of a flexible schedule without the difficulties involved in its
creation. Spreadsheets, the traditional method of scheduling, are not
as user-friendly when flexibility is part of the mix.
The answer is workforce management (WFM) software.
A WFM system makes it much easier for agents to add, swap or cancel
shifts, even without a manager’s approval (if the call center allows).
And by doing so via a Web-based interface, rather than submitting
requests via telephone or email, changes are handled more quickly and
there is a record of each change. That helps to avoid conflicts later.
When a call center first makes the switch from a fixed to a flexible
schedule, it can be problematic in the short term as both agents and
managers adjust to the new status quo. One way to limit confusion is to
make the transition gradually, by granting access to the flexible shift
model to a few agents, and then expanding it over time to the rest of
the workforce.
Whatever short-term issues arise from the transition are nothing
compared to the improved service levels and lower personnel costs that
will inevitably follow. Please take a few minutes to watch any of the scheduling demos to get better understanding of how WFM can help you create and manage a more flexible schedule.

It takes both art and science to staff a call center. Next to hiring the
right personnel, scheduling plays the key role in maximizing resources
and making sure calls are handled in a courteous and efficient manner.
This is important stuff that deserves your attention, but it can’t
occupy too much of your time that could also be devoted to improving
service levels and achieving the company’s operational and fiscal goals.
It must be done, but it needs to be done quickly.Workforce Management: Say Goodbye to Spreadsheets
The best way to make scheduling easier is to switch from a spreadsheet-based system to once that uses workforce management software. Now you’ll have the flexibility to better (and automatically) manage start times, end times and break times.
Flexibility is also an important element of agent satisfaction – when
you can staff a roster with the agents you need, and balance those needs
with agents working their preferred shifts and hours, you’ll have
happier agents (which always results in happier customers) and lower
employee turnover.
What you don’t want, however, are agents at your office door all day
with questions about which shifts are available, if they can change
their Monday schedule to Wednesday, etc. An automated solution delivered
through a Web portal will allow agents to bid on shifts, swap or cancel
without taking up a manager’s time. The system will have parameters in
place, set by the call center, that will approve or reject such requests
automatically.
Of course, the wealth of information provided by WFM isn’t much good if
it is not presented in a way that is clear, concise, and accessible to
changes as needed. Choose a WFM system that allows for real-time changes
to be easily implemented, that shows summaries of all agent statuses,
including exceptions. If you can’t find the data you need quickly, look
for another system.

Have you considered making a final break from spreadsheets, and
incorporating a sophisticated workforce management solution into your
contact center? If so, what is holding you back? For many, it may be a
concern that WFM is too complicated, too difficult to install, too
confusing to use. But what if we could prove that wasn’t the case?

Check
out the short videos below, each of which covers a specific challenge
faced by every call center, and explains how workforce management
software makes that challenge much easier to manage. You’ll see how the
software works, and how simple it is to collect the data you need to
keep your call center running at optimum efficiency.

Accurate ForecastingWith
WFM you’ll have monthly and weekly stats to review, plus daily and
hourly numbers. You can even examine work periods as short as 15
minutes. By reviewing past activity, you’ll have a much better idea of
how to predict future needs.

Efficient SchedulingConfident
scheduling comes from the knowledge that the right people are in the
right places at the right times. Find out how WFM makes this task
easier.

While every call center is different, there are some qualities that
remain consistent throughout the industry, and these are the qualities
that can provide a basis for your forecasting and scheduling process.
Some variations may be possible based on specific call patterns and
staffing, but this guideline should be helpful in establishing a process
that achieves results.
1. Collect and analyze data, including call type, call volume, and call patterns.
2. Use this data to forecast call center workload (by day, by hour, even by quarter-hour).
3. Forecast special days or any other events that influence call
volumes. These may include company promotions and events, holidays,
seasonal fluctuations or other unique trends.
4. Calculate and plan resources requirements. These will be specified
once you have defined acceptable service levels on ASA, AHT and other
factors.
5. Review additional staffing considerations, including cost, personnel
skills and specialties, flexibility, availability and occupancy.
6. Create a schedule that balances agent needs vs. call center capabilities, and accounts for shrinkage and exceptions.
7. Manage daily operation based on the created schedule. Track key
metrics and adherence, and adjust forecast/schedule based on actual call
volume and pattern.
8. Review, report and analyze, then repeat the process starting with step #1.
We invite you to watch any of the forecasting and scheduling videos to visualize these process steps.

It’s a situation that a call center manager faces every week – in larger
call centers, it probably happens every day. You prepare to start a
shift and realize that one or more agents forecasted and scheduled to
work will not be coming in today. What should that manager do?

If he (or she) is using spreadsheets for scheduling, panic might be a
good first step. But with the right workforce management (WFM) software,
not only is the crisis averted, it never becomes a crisis at all.
Choose a WFM solution with an Exceptions feature that streamlines the
tracking process on no-show employees. Once the missing agent is noted,
the list of assigned employees is automatically adjusted accordingly.
This same capability also covers agents who miss part of their shift,
either through a training session, a special project, or just because
they were late. And for those enterprising agents that work overtime,
their efforts are recorded automatically as well.
Such data is about more than just staffing; it’s about measuring
productivity, and making sure the records accurately reflect how many
agents were taking calls at any specific moment of any specific day. By
getting those numbers right, it’s much easier to create forecasts and
schedules that match caller demand and other call center needs.
For instance – perhaps you have discovered that customers waited an
average of 60 seconds longer for an agent between 1pm and 1:30 on a
Wednesday. A spreadsheet might just show 20 agents working that
half-hour. But WFM data will show that two agents didn’t start their
shift until 1:10, since the lunch service was slow at Olive Garden that
afternoon. Now you know that only 18 agents were at their desks, which
likely accounted for the delays.
With a few clicks, a workforce management system delivers information
about employee status and availability, and the schedule exceptions that
are critical for accurate future planning. For more information, please
watch this video about schedule exception planning and management.
Learn More

Based on a recent call center analysis, we discovered that approximately
20% of call centers still use spreadsheets for forecasting ad
scheduling. Those that do are missing out on the convenience,
efficiency, flexibility and functionality of workforce management.

Is there an optimal use for spreadsheets? Perhaps – for a call center
where the call flows are the same every hour of every day.
Unfortunately, such a call center does not exist. When call volume
changes, spreadsheets are insufficient.
Here are 5 ways that WFM represents a quantum leap forward in forecasting and scheduling:

Flexible Schedules – spreadsheets are fine for fixed schedules – but
call center schedules rarely stay fixed. A WFM system provides the
flexibility to manage start times, end times and break times.

Call History Forecasts – the most accurate call forecasts are those
that rely on call history data. This can be done manually with a
spreadsheet, but it’s much faster and more accurate to work with
real-time and historic call data collected by a WFM system.

Adherence Tracking – tracking and schedule adherence are difficult,
if not flat-out impossible, with just a spreadsheet. Spot-checks are
fine as far as they go, but without the real-time tracking provided by
WFM there is a higher risk of over/under staffing, shrinkage and missed
service levels.

Call center schedules are only as accurate as the data used to determine
them. Usually if there’s an issue, that’s the place to begin your
search. However, the problem may also be caused by other call center
policies that impact scheduling data.

Here are 5 reasons why your call center schedule may not be getting the job done:

1. Insufficient Historic Call DataThis
is an issue with newer call centers who cannot trace two years of
calling patterns to determine future volume. But it can also be a
problem at call centers for companies that undergo significant expansion
or contraction, changes in product lines, or even expansion/contraction
of call center resources. If last August was different than this one
for any reason, that makes the challenge of forecasting and scheduling
more difficult.

2. Call Related ActivitiesScheduling
must take into account all call- and non-call related activities, not
just managing the incoming call load and the actual time on each call.
Lunches, other breaks, training sessions, meetings and correspondence
should also be calculated.

3. No SimulationForecasting
simulation can help managers analyze their routing policies and
incoming call volume to develop more accurate forecasts, which lead to
more accurate schedules. 4. No FlexibilityThe more
rigid the schedule, the more likely it will fall short of expectations.
Building in some flexibility allows managers to be more prepared for
unforeseen fluctuations. It’s also better for call center agents, who
will appreciate being able to take a few extra moments away if they need
it. 5. Slow Reaction to Changing Call VolumesSome
sports cars can change direction in a few seconds. An aircraft carrier
might take hours to accomplish the same task. If call volume changes
unexpectedly, a call center needs to react quickly and adjust the
schedule accordingly, or risk the pitfalls of overtaxed agents and
dissatisfied customers.

The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) has been an
invaluable resource for helping contact centers get the most out of
their agents and managers. Recently, the ICMI offered five valuable tips on call center scheduling that are worth your time.
Some of this you may have heard before – but it’s so easy to get off
track when sometimes it’s all you can do to keep up with the day-to-day
pressures of personnel, technology, forecasts, scheduling and adherence.
A refresher course is always welcome.
You can click on the link for the full story, but here are the basics:1. Clarity
Senior management, supervisors and agents all need to be pulling in the
same direction. That means clearly delineated procedures and
professional values that will guide the schedule-making process, and
contingency plans for when a schedule goes awry. Having these
conversations first can resolve numerous issues later on. 2. Testing
Sample schedules and dry-run scenarios can be useful in testing schedule
accuracy and catching problems before they impact customer service.
Experiment with different alternatives until you find one that achieves
all of your objectives. 3. Inclusion
Scheduling should incorporate not just calls, but all of the activities
and practices associated with that process, as well as other projects
that require time from your agents or managers. 4. Conflict Resolution
Scheduling is never immune to issues from agents, new product/service
launches, unforeseen changes in shifts and other outside factors. How
well a contact center adjusts to these scheduling challenges will
indicate whether it is performing well. However, if conflicts become too
frequent, that suggests a systemic issue that should be corrected.5. Flexibility
Related to #4 above, scheduling should be fluid but not so loose as to
create confusion. Adjust schedule horizons as needed if those created
two weeks away frequently prove inaccurate, take agent preferences into
account when possible, and have alternatives in place before they become
necessary.
If you would like to learn how to implement these tips, please also watch our workforce management videos and see how clarity, testing, inclusion, conflict resolution and flexibility are "built-in".

So you’ve finished your call center scheduling duties and are ready to
focus on other tasks – until you discover that the average call wait
time is longer than it should be, and either something was missed on
forecasting or a lot of customers just felt this was the day they needed
to place an order or ask a question.

What do you do? If you’re locked into your scheduling, you may end up with angry customers and frazzled agents.
Situations like this are going to happen. They should be rare if you’re
using the call center scheduling and forecasting tools at your disposal
in a workforce management (WFM) solution; however, sometimes even the
best laid plans can go awry.
When they do, hopefully you can count on a call center scheduling
solution with real-time updates that will allow you to adjust forecasts
and schedules accordingly. When external conditions change, managers
should be able to review the call center metrics, in real time, that
will help the business get back on track.
By reviewing forecast vs. actual call volume and agent adherence,
managers can then re-run forecasting and scheduling based on what is
happening in the call center at that very moment. Then, they can update
the schedule based on current conditions, and adjust staffing as quickly
as possible so customer service is restored to optimum level. Please
watch this short video to see intra-day call center scheduling in action.
Call center scheduling may not be an exact science, but real-time WFM
will expose any glitches, so they can be corrected before they cause too
many issues. Learn More

Workforce management (WFM) software lends accuracy and consistency to
the scheduling process in a call center. Given the impact that
scheduling has on call center performance, doing it right is necessary
for call centers to save time and money. Plus, when scheduling can be
handled more quickly, it frees up time for managers to focus on other
responsibilities.

Once configured, WFM should provide real-time
data by call center or by department, that covers every aspect of the
scheduling process.

Start with forecasting, which helps to
determine how many agents will be needed on a given shift on a given
day, taking into account special days such as holidays or the first day
of a new company sales promotion.

Next, factor in employee
availability, with data on vacation schedules, approved days off, and
matching individual skills to forecasting and scheduling preferences.
The goal is to have the correct number of agents in place for the
expected workload on that shift – no more, no less. Too many agents on a
shift means wasted resources; not enough means longer call wait times
and frustrated customers.

During the shift, tracking metrics keep tabs on agents that leave early, show up late, or take longer breaks than allowed.

Unfortunately,
once schedules are set they are not immune to revision. Last minute
changes are often unavoidable, but WFM should resolve any issues before
they can impact performance. If an agent can’t make it to work, WFM
should identify a replacement with a comparable skill set, determine his
or her availability, and expedite the change.

Other issues
related to scheduling, such as employee shift swaps and separate
rotations for trainees, can also be coordinated through WFM. Once
generated, schedules should be easily accessible to all concerned
parties so there’s never any confusion. To see call center scheduling
in action, please follow this link to watch a series of videos about
forecasting, scheduling, staffing, exceptions handling and intra-day
management.

Handling exceptions is a key component to workforce schedule compliance.
Exceptions must be managed in a way the minimizes their impact on
productivity and availability, since both will have a negative impact on
service levels and also quality of service.There are four types of exceptions:

Pre-plannedThese would include vacation days, training days and work time spent on other necessities such as team meetings.

UnplannedSick days and downtime due to technical issues would qualify as unplanned exceptions.

Unplanned but pre-approvedThese are schedule deviations initiated by management to maintain performance levels.

Unplanned and not pre-approvedThese tend to be reactionary, caused by meetings that run long or added coaching sessions.

Regardless
of the exception type, the goal remains the same – customer service
consistency and meeting company goals for schedule adherence.

Call Center Schedule Exception Calendar

This can be achieved with workforce management software, which provides real-time adherence data that streamlines call center schedule exception tracking,
making it easier for managers to maintain service levels, to know which
agents are excepted at any given time (and the reason for the
exception, whether it’s a day off or time spent in training) and to
review reporting data. The solution should also provide an easier method
for shift swapping, with management approval. Learn More

It takes both art and science to staff a call center. Next to hiring the
right personnel, scheduling plays the key role in maximizing resources
and making sure calls are handled in a courteous and efficient manner.
There may be some instances where an agent needs to work a specific
shift on a particular day of the week, one week, and then the next week
work, different shift on the same day.
Call center schedule rotations should balance available staff against
predicted call volumes. Data from call recording software and workforce
management solutions should provide the answers necessary to improve
this process. However, there are always variables with scheduling, from
shift swaps and vacation seasons when more agents are in Hawaii instead
of at their desk, to unanticipated call volume swings.
This is important stuff, but the time spent working on adjusting
rotations and changing schedules is also time that is not being spent on
other facets of the call center, such as improving service levels and
achieving the company’s operational and fiscal goals. So it needs to be
done, but it needs to be done quickly.The role of workforce management
The more a call center can rely on workforce management software to
streamline rotation schedules, the more time that leaves for management
to deal with other issues. Communication is the key, and call centers
should choose a workforce optimization solution that includes
forecasting data to help determine schedule rotations, exception
handling as well as a wide range of scheduling metrics that make it
easier for agents and management to adjust to changing situations in
call volume.
In addition, workforce management can track how well agents are
functioning within the system, and where action may need to be taken.
When agents are clear on what their hours will be, when they can swap
shifts and take vacations, and have that information available quickly,
it should result in a positive impact on job performance and morale. It
should be equally easy for management to review schedule changes and
determine their impact on productivity.

Every day call centers have to deal with exceptions and find a way to
minimize the impact on their schedule and service level. There are
either planned exceptions such as planned time-off and planned training
sessions, or mid-day exceptions that are typically not planned. Let's
take a look at some examples and describe how to deal with those.

Example: Schedule a meeting with multiple agents
while minimizing impact on service levels

Agents call in late

Agents leave early for emergency

Agents leave early with vacation time

Agents in training session

One on one meeting with supervisor

Multiple agent meeting with supervisor

Agents staying late for overtime

Many Workforce Management systems have integrated exception planner,
that make scheduling agent exceptions such as time off and one-time or
recurring training meetings a simple process. For example Monet WFM
Live provides a color-coded availability calendar that displays a
real-time summary of time off, making it easy for managers to see
whether to grant an agent's time off request.
Complete schedule integration ensures the center will be appropriately
staffed if the time off is approved and that you will continually meet
service levels. Exceptions can be scheduled far into the future or
recorded as recurring exceptions. The Exception Planner has also support
for mid-day exceptions too, taking them into account when choosing
shifts and scheduling breaks and lunches. A manager can easily schedule
an agent to attend a training meeting from 11:00 - 1:00 on the second
Friday of every month, or set up a rotating schedule where agents have
different days off on alternate weeks. The exception calendar enables
managers to see how existing exceptions affect their staff availability.
They can select any set of dates from the year and see agent
requirements and availability, along with the number of exception hours,
broken down both by agent and exception type. This tool is particularly
useful when deciding whether or not to grant a vacation request.
Efficient and effective management of exceptions is crucial to achieve
and maintain your service level. If you would like to learn more, feel
free to watch a demo about intra-day schedule management or contact us.
Learn More

Besides the key staffing and scheduling question about how many agent you need at any given time, you also need to think about what agent skills and expertise you need at specific times and types of calls. Here are a few things to consider when planning your call center staffing and schedule:

Ranking of agents

Creating a schedule by agent rank can be very effective in reducing costs and increasing sales.

Rank according to call completion time, calls per hour, call quality, customer satisfaction or other performance measures.

Match personality and team

Studies have shown that a good relationship with colleagues drives motivation and performance.

Your schedule should leverage this by teaming up the “right" people.

Multi-skilled agents and routing

The productivity gain from giving each agent two skills could easily be 10-15%.

The importanceof multi-skilled agents is that they form overlapping groups.For example, having one group that can handle calls type A and B while another group takes calls type C and D, can be substantially improved by adding a group that is able to handle calls type B and C (or one of the other three combinations).

Almost everyday, you can read analyst reports and magazine articles about the adoption of cloud-based solution in all areas of business, including call center forecasting and scheduling. Here are 7 reasons why companies move to the cloud:

Easier to use: Cloud-based solutions are designed to be easy to use for fast adoption, without a lot of training. Think ROI!

Faster implementation: Have you experienced long and painful software implementation projects? Cloud-based software has changed this. Instant account creation and easy configuration and self-service makes it possible to roll-out and use solutions in weeks.

Less maintenance: The IT team in your company has to make sure that the software is working, servers are running, do back-ups, etc. Again, with cloud, this is all done by the solution provider.

Always newest version: Do you use an older software version simply because it is too expensive or too painful to upgrade? Typically, cloud solutions automatically deploy new features and versions. Customer can easily take advantage of new functionality.

Access from anywhere: Do you have call centers at multiple locations and a pool of flexible home agents? Providing a consistent infrastructure is a challenge. Cloud computing delivers “software” over the Internet - it's easier to deploy, more consistent and easier to use and support.

More flexibility and scalability: As you grow your call center and as your needs change, it is often easier to add functionality, capacity and additional modules using the cloud model.

We have created a list of seven practical tips for call center scheduling to not only keep your call center running efficiently, but also maintain high service levels, and keep costs under control. We would like to share these tips with you and hope it proves to be useful in your daily call center operations.

What are the key functional components of a scheduling and forecasting solution for a contact center? Here is a quick overview:

Forecasting:
Ability to run simulations to calculate a precise forecast for future
call volume, agent requirements and average handle time for any time
interval of the day, based on historical data from your ACD system.

Scheduling:
The scheduling module should incorporate all call types and other
call and non-call related activities to generate staffing schedules that
optimize a wide range of factors, including agent availability,
skills, holidays, breaks, training and service levels.

Exception handling:
Integrated exception calendar to simplify scheduling of agent
exceptions such as time off and one-time or recurring training meetings.

Real-time adherence:
Ability to compare planned agent activity to actual activities
throughout the day, as well as real-time views of forecast and actual
call volumes, handle times and other key performance indicators.

Intra-day management:
Graphical display of agents' schedules with drag-and-drop
functionality to quickly manage breaks, lunches and other exceptions.
Real-time updates can be made to required and assigned agents
instantly, and display surpluses and shortages for each time period of
the day.

Agent - supervisor collaboration:
Enables easy and efficient agent-supervisor interaction and
collaboration, such as exceptions, schedule bids or swap requests and
critical reports. Agents get empowered to be more directly involved in
the scheduling process by entering exceptions or bids and viewing their
schedules at any time.

Configuration & administration:
Ability to set up unlimited number of center splits or agent groups,
each with its own set of service objectives and guidelines. Management
of multiple sites and time zones. Ability to set hours of operation by
day of week, and service level goals down to 15-minute intervals if
desired.

Metrics and reporting:
Ability to report and analyze all agent activities including their
schedule adherence and key performance indicators. Managers need to get
actionable insights through tools such as call center dashboards, Key
Performance Indicators (KPI) and real-time alerts.

Over the years we have provided a list of practical call center
scheduling techniques, methods and tips in this blog. In order to make
it easier to find those, we created this post with all of them listed in
one place. We hope you find it useful:

This is part 2 of our list of call center scheduling tips (here is part 1 in case you missed it):

5. Compare ACD logon time to time-clock entries

Make sure agents are logged in and ready for calls coordinating with the clock time.Consider using the ACD agent log-in and log-out times for payroll – dependent on the culture and procedures you have established

6. Include all activities in schedule

When developing your forecast and schedule make sure to include

Breaks and lunches

Multiple tasks (calls, email, etc.)

Training

Time-off

Realistic buffer for shrinkage

7. Rank agents and match teams by personality

Rank your agents

Creating a schedule by agent rank can be very effective in reducing costs and increasing sales

Rank according to call completion time, calls per hour or other performance measures including sales and order size

Match personality and team

Studies have shown that a good relationship with colleagues drives motivation and performance